Pope Francis approaches his car after landing from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at Ciampino's military airport, on the outskirts of Rome, on July 29.

Written by

John Bacon David Argen
USA Today

Pope Francis reached out an olive branch to the gay community Monday, saying that he won't "judge" gay priests.

"If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?" the pope said.

The pope's predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, authored a document that said men with homosexual orientations should not be priests. Francis is softening that position, saying gay clergymen should be forgiven. ...